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Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz yesterday headed to the United States for a series of meetings with United Nations officials. The talks are expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear program and the Abraham Accords.

Gantz said, “Iran has gained knowledge, infrastructure and capabilities—much of which is irreversible. This will enable Iran to further expand its nuclear program during the period of an agreement that would have fewer restrictions. Iran would be able to acquire a nuclear weapon when said agreement ended in 2031.”

As long as Iran continues its nefarious nuclear activities, Gantz made it clear that Israel will not be bound by any deal and will maintain its right to defend itself. Despite last week’s news that a nuclear deal is off the table and won’t be signed in the foreseeable future, ongoing work must be done to stop Iran from its campaign to eliminate Israel.

Source:
Amid Iran tensions, Gantz heads to US for talks with UN officials, by JNS Brief, September 11, 2022

 

 

Just in case you’ve lost track (we know we did!) of the timeline of how Israel ended up heading to its fifth elections in two and a half years this coming November 1, Simcha Pasko has an excellent two-part “Explainer” in i24NEWS.

How much do you remember about how Israel got to this point? Read on…we promise we won’t quiz you later!

Sources:
Explainer: A timeline of Israel’s elections 2019-2022 (Part 1), by Simcha Pasko/i24NEWS, September 11, 2022 (revised September 12, 2022)

Explainer: A timeline of Israel’s elections 2019-2022 (Part 2), by Simcha Pasko/i24NEWS, September 12, 2022

 

 

After many a contentious argument between Israel and the US, a new nuclear deal between Iran and world powers is off the table and will not be signed in the foreseeable future. US officials conveyed this message to Prime Minister Yair Lapid the recent conversations he had with Joe Biden and other administration officials.

While this is welcome news, Iran still remains a worldwide threat. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said Wednesday it could not guarantee the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program and that there had been “no progress” in resolving questions over the past presence of nuclear material at undeclared sites.

The IAEA also said Iran was continuing to enrich uranium well over the limits laid down in the ailing 2015 deal, with its stockpile now over 19 times the limit set out in the accord. The level of enrichment Iran has reached is much closer to the 90-percent threshold required for use in a weapon.

This has been a long and hard fought battle with Israel’s voice at the forefront of applying pressure to stop sealing any agreement with Iran. Why did so many attempts to seal the deal finally fail? The truth finally won. Iran failed to agree to proper and timely inspections by the IAEA. Contrary to any deal, Iran has enriched its uranium so much that it now has weapon capability which could be reached in days. Iran refuses to give up on its evil intentions with its continued support of Hezbollah, Hamas, PIJ and other threats to Israel. The many attempts to resurrect this agreement simply did not address any of the real threats that Iran poses to the region and the world. Any money – and it was cash and prizes nearing a trillion dollars – that would have gone to Iran would only be used to strengthen their terrorist proxies and enrich their own nuclear program.

Now that this disastrous “deal” has collapsed for the foreseeable future, we can breathe a little bit easier knowing that Israel is that much safer. However, let’s bear in mind that Israel must continue to be vigilant of the ongoing nefarious activities of Iran.

Sources:
Biden sends message to Lapid that new Iran deal ‘off the table,’ report says, by Debbie Reiss/World Israel News, September 7, 2022

Israeli Ambassador to UN says international community knew a stronger Iran deal was needed, by Mike Wagenheim/JNS, September 8, 2022

Tehran’s $1 Trillion Deal: An Updated Forecast of Iran’s Financial Windfall From a New Nuclear Agreement, by Saeed Ghasseminejad/Foundation for Defense of Democracies, August 19, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

Prime Minister Yair Lapid rejected the calls from the US government that the IDF reexamine and possibly change its rules of engagement in light of the death of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh.

Speaking to graduates at the Naval Graduation Ceremony yesterday, Lapid said, “But to be clear – I will not allow an IDF soldier that was protecting himself from terrorist fire to be prosecuted just to receive applause from abroad. No one will dictate our rules of engagement to us, when we are the ones fighting for our lives. Our soldiers have the full backing of the government of Israel and the people of Israel.”

The ever astute Caroline Glick gives excellent analysis in her JNS piece ” Abu Akleh and Biden’s pro-Iran realignment: The U.S. administration is exposing Israel to existential peril.” As the US continues to stab Israel in the back, we are proud that Israel is standing strong for its sovereign right to conduct business as it sees fit.

Sources:
Lapid to US: No one can dictate our rules of engagement while we fight for our lives, by Israel National News, September 8, 2022

Abu Akleh and Biden’s pro-Iran realignment, by Caroline Glick/JNS, September 7, 2022

 

A Jewish ascender to the Temple Mount in an IDF uniform was arrested Tuesday morning for sitting on the steps and insisting on continuing to sit when a police officer demanded that he get up. Beyadenu,( the Temple Mount organization begun by the Israel Independence Fund), guide Eliasaf Ofan was arrested after he was attacked by an Arab woman on the holy site. “During his ascent to the Mount of Ascension, Ofan encountered an Arab woman who hit him with a sandal. On the way out, the police detained Ofan, stole his phone, and informed him that he was detained to be brought to the station,” Beyadenu CEO Tom Nisani charged in a statement to reporters. The interim Israeli government and the police have gone too far.

Sadly, as Beyadenu reports, Jewish ascenders have been targeted, arrested and ejected from the Temple Mount in record breaking numbers. Now a Jew, Eliasaf Ofan, was attacked by an Arab woman but is himself arrested – this is a blatant war declared on Jews reminiscent of a Nazi police state. The police assigned to work at the Temple Mount have become too empowered when they should only be overseeing the security and safety of all who ascend this holy site. Beyadenu’s Nisani urged that “The time has come for a civil administration on the Temple Mount.” This sounds like a very good idea but we would not want to see a civil administration put in place that ends up causing the same problems that affect Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria. Implementing a civil administration to oversee the Temple Mount will only work if its stated purpose is carried out fairly across the board – minus political bias – without appeasing Arabs. Somehow, there must be an end to discrimination against a Jew’s fundamental right to be present and to worship there.

Source:
Jewish Guides & Activists Arrested, Ejected from Temple Mount by Israeli Police, by Hana Levi Julian/Jewish Press, September 6, 2022

 

 

Mayor of Gush Etzion Shlomo Ne’eman has been appointed as the new chairman of Moetzet Yesha, the official council of Judea and Samaria.

Ne’eman said that he sees his new appointment as “…as a great responsibility and a significant mission for the settlement and the people of Israel. The first task before us is to strengthen the sovereignty and the Jewish presence in the region.” He stated that this is the time to “…continue working to develop and strengthen Israeli settlement in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.”

Many challenges lie ahead for Ne’eman and we have every confidence that he will succeed in his goals for Yesha. We wish him hatzlacha in his new position to build and strengthen the Zionist dream.

Source:
Shlomo Neeman to be Appointed New Head of Settler Council, by Jewish Press News Desk, September 6, 2022

 

 

 

Mossad Director David Barnea was in Washington DC yesterday, where he held meetings with senior officials from the White House, CIA, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pentagon, State Department and additional security agencies. Barnea presented Israel’s stance regarding the resurrection of the Iranian nuclear deal.

Barnea’s visit is the latest in the string of top Israeli officials who are fighting to stop the deal. Last week, Israel’s Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz, and National Security Advisor, Eyal Hulta, both visited the US. Prime Minister Yair Lapid has reportedly finally held phone conversations with Joe Biden and other world leaders.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid hinted today that Israel may have succeeded in preventing Western powers from reaching a new nuclear deal with Iran in Vienna, while warning Tehran that Israel will continues its zero-tolerance policy vis-à-vis attacks by Iranian proxies, as well as any potential nuclear threat. “It is still too early to know if we have indeed succeeded in stopping the nuclear agreement, but Israel is prepared for every threat and every scenario,” Lapid said.

Israel continues to be the most vocal world power in aggressively carrying out an “intensive campaign” to stop the signing of a dangerous nuclear agreement with Iran. This is an agreement that is potentially lethal to the rest of the world’s democracies. We do wish that more of them would join Israel in attempting to ward off these dangers. But Israel’s relentless pursuit of waking up the world to the dangers of this deal leaves us feeling a bit more secure in believing an agreement with Iran might be stopped

Sources:
Mossad chief Barnea heads to Washington to try and halt the Iran nuclear deal, Mandi Kogosowski/Israel Defense, September 5, 2022

Lapid warns Iran: We’re ready for every scenario, by World Israel News Staff, September 6, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

Shots were fired at a bus carrying Israeli soldiers on a major highway in the Jordan Valley on Sunday, injuring seven people. The terrorists, a man and his nephew, also tried to set the bus on fire.

The Israel Defense Forces said Palestinian gunmen opened fire at the bus near Hamra. This left one seriously wounded soldier. Another five soldiers and the bus’s civilian driver were hurt. The seriously wounded soldier and the bus driver are listed in moderate condition in Rambam Hospital with gunshot injuries. The hospital said the soldier’s condition had improved. The other five soldiers were lightly hurt by glass fragments.

The IDF is waiting for the Shabak to provide it with the location of the terrorists and the and the hunt is on for a third suspect and possibly more members of the terrorist cell.

The longer Israel appeases the Arabs, the more empowered they will be. Attacks like this against the very defense forces that exist to protect Israel must be stopped!

Sources:
7 injured as soldiers’ bus comes under fire by Palestinian gunmen in Jordan Valley, by Emanuel Fabian/Times of Israel, September 4, 2022

New details on Jordan Valley bus shooting, by Israel National News, September 5, 2022

 

Massive development works on a new PA Arab city have been carried out in secret on Israeli state-owned and privately owned Jewish land in Area C, near the Karnei Shomron industrial zone. The works include the development of lots, construction of buildings, opening and paving roads, and laying down infrastructure connections.

The Regavim movement contacted law enforcement authorities as soon as this illegal work began but received no response and the fieldwork continued. Head of the Samaria Regional Council Yossi Dagan said: “The government is systematically abandoning Area C and now also private lands that Jews have purchased. This failure is inconceivable. Selective enforcement is reaching a peak we have not seen before.”

Just yesterday Arutz Sheva reported that the Palestinian Authority approved aid for the ‘committee for the fight against the fence and the settlements’ to further what it called “the fanatical colonialist attacks of the occupation authorities and the settlers.”

Israel’s inability to gain control of this issue greatly empowers the Arabs to advance their mission of destroying Israel. Whether another report from Regavim or an article in Arutz Sheva, this is not the kind of news we want to read. When will this register as being so terribly wrong that Israel’s officials must take necessary actions to stop it?

Sources:
New Palestinian City Rising on Jewish-Owned Land near Karnei Shomron, by David Israel.Jewish Press, September 1, 2022

PA moves to strengthen grip on Area C, by Dalit Halevi/Israel National News, September 5, 2022

 

 

David Barnea, the director of Mossad agency is scheduled to visit Washington D.C. next week. He is slated to speak with senior White House officials about the nuclear talks in Vienna. The Biden administration and European powers involved in the talks are widely expected to wrap up negotiations with Tehran in the next few weeks. This would lead to the signing of an agreement restoring the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Last week Barnea sharply criticized the Biden White House over the impending agreement and accused the administration of lying to Israel. “We are making a pasted copy of the 2015 agreement, and the only thing that remains from this is the text,” Barnea said in closed conversations.

Interim Prime Minister Yair Lapid thought he had made headway pressuring the US but seems to now understand that the deal that is on the table releases billions of dollars to Iran for its own nefarious plans and to fund its terror proxies, many of whom are surrounding Israel now. Every Israeli understands that this terrible deal needs to have “tighter” IAEA oversight and include restrictions on Tehran’s ballistic missile program.

Biden has not taken his phone calls. First, the White House blamed Biden’s unavailability on his recent vacation, which ended last Wednesday. With both men set to speak at the United Nations General Assembly in September, Lapid is hoping for an in-person meeting.
So much for all the land given to Arabs by Lapid and Gantz during Biden’s trip. Useless show of weakness!

As Israel pushes forward to stop this disastrous deal from going through, we can only pray for their success. Any deal that does get penned with Iran will put them within weeks of obtaining nuclear weapons.

How the “Great Satan” can go along with this all is beyond our comprehension.

Sources:
Mossad chief to visit Washington for talks on Iran deal, by David Rosenberg/Israel National News, August 28, 2022

Israeli PM Lapid, unable to get Biden on phone, pushes for meeting to discuss Iran: report, by Ronn Blitzer/Fox News, August 28, 2022